Masks and Grades
by in1000wordsorless
Summary: Being a teenage hero can take a toll on grades. What can Dick do when he is failing a class?
1. Chapter 1

"Richard, can I have a word with you?"

Dick stopped as he was about to leave English.

"Yes Ms. Lee?" He should have known she would want to talk to him.

"Sit down."

"Sorry Ms. Lee, I'd love to talk, but I have a mathletes meeting right now."

"Well if you don't pull your grade up in this class, you won't be eligible to compete for the mathletes."

Dick was shocked, to say the least. "What? I know that I've been forgetting some homework, but-"

"And essays and book reports. And look at the grade from these last three tests."

Dick looked at the tests Mr. Lee gave to him. D+. . . . D. . . D.

"I don't understand why I'm getting such low grades on these."

"It's probably cause your not paying very much attention during class. Did you know we have another test on Monday?"

"What? When did you say _that?"_

"I've been saying it for the past two weeks. I reminded everyone right before the bell rang today."

Dick sighed. " Okay, I'll study more this weekend."

"I hope so. If you don't pull your grade up on this test, you won't be allowed to meet with any of your clubs."

He got up from his seat and walked over towards the door. "I'll Ace it Ms. Lee."

…

The young justice team was back at the cave after another mission. Batman had just finished debriefing the team, and now they were free to do whatever they wanted.

Robin and Kid Flash walked towards the kitchen.

"So Rob, what do you say to chips and video games?"

"I'd say that sounds awesome, but I have to study for my English test."

KF rolled his eyes at the boy wonder. "Geez, relax for a bit. Take a break from being Mr. Honor Roll."

"I am definitly not Mr. Honor Roll right now."

"Come on, one game won't hurt."

Robin should have known one game always meant twenty. Or thirty. Or all night if it got really intense, but he played anyways.

…

"Okay class, I graded your tests from yesterday."

Dick slumped back in his chair as the teacher put his test upside down on his desk. He flip it just enough to see the top. _F. See Me After Class. _Dick sighed and stayed in his seat after the bell.

Ms. Lee took dick's test off his desk and looked at it in disappointment.

"I don't understand. You used to get A's and B's on these tests. Has something been going on at home? Do you have too many after-school activities to study?"

Dick just kept silent. She sighed.

"You can't meet with the mathletes or any of your other clubs until you raise your grade, and you will need to get this test signed by your guardian."

"Okay." Dick was stoic on the outside, but he was freaking out on the inside. He grabbed his skateboard and backpack out of his locker and started riding home, thinking of ways to keep Bruce from killing him when he saw the test.

…

AAAAAhhhhhh! I have run out of ideas and this story is not going well so far! ):

If ANYONE has a good idea for a story that is willing to help me, please help! Thanks for reading! More chapters comin soon! Plz review


	2. Chapter 2

Dick silently made his way through the manor and up to his room. He did a quick cleaning spree to make sure Bruce would be a little happier before Dick showed him his test. He placed his backpack down by his desk and started "studying" out of his English book.

What was he going to do? Bruce was going to be incredibly mad. What if he took Robin out of the Young Justice team? What if Bruce wouldn't let him be Robin at all anymore?

About an hour after he got home, someone opened his door.

It was Alfred, and he looked slightly flustered. "Master Dick, dinner is ready, but Master Bruce was in an 'accident' earlier today."

Dick looked concerned. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, but he is on painkillers for the moment. I have to go talk with doctor Leslie at the hospital, so you will have to help Master Bruce until I return."

"Okay Alfred."

Alfred walked down the stairs and drove off towards the other side of Gotham. Dick let out a shout of joy. He ran downstairs with his test in his hand to see Bruce sitting at the table. He had gauze wrapped around his left arm, and he looked slightly pale and out of it.

"Hey Bruce. How're you doing?"

Bruce wasn't too bad on painkillers. He didn't go crazy, he just couldn't focus on what was a good idea and what wasn't. he also always had trouble remembering things.

"'M fine." They ate their dinner in silence for a couple of minutes before Dick decided it was the right time to show his test.

"Oh, Bruce. Would you mind signing this?"

"Sure." Bruce signed the top of the paper without looking closely to what was on it.

Dick Smiled. "Thanks." He shoved the paper in his pocket right before Alfred came through the door.

"Was master Bruce any trouble?"

"No, he was fine. I'm gonna go finish my homework." Dick ran up the stairs and did a small victory dance. He put the test in his binder and hopped into his shower. He had just tricked the greatest detective.

…

Dick walked into class with a smile on his face.

"Do you have your test signed Richard?"

"I sure do, Ms. Lee. I also have our homework from last night. " He handed his test and his homework. Ms. Lee was impressed.

Dick took his seat. Class flew by, and before he knew it, he was in the mathlete room. Some of the members flashed him a smile as he walked over to the table.

He felt great knowing he had tricked the Batman, but he had know idea his victory would not last long.

...

Thank you guys so much for the reviews and adds you guys have given me. it means so much to me!

I'm sorry if you guys don't like it, but I was thinking earlier today what would happen if Dick dragged on hiding his test from Bruce, and what would happen,

so this chapter is now born!

Tell me what ya think please (:


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce was sitting in the living room. He wasn't reading or working, he just stared into the distance with a stern look on his face.

"Is everything all right master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

Bruce didn't look up from his position. "I've been thinking."

"About what, may I ask?"

Bruce looked back at Alfred "A few days ago, after my arm was shot and you put me on some painkillers, I now remember seeing Richard hand me a paper with an red F on the top."

"Are you sure master Bruce? I do not doubt your memory, but master Dick does not seem like the type to fail a test."

Bruce slumped back in his chair. "I don't know if I was just so out of it that I'm seeing things that didn't happen, or if Dick took advantage of the situation." Bruce went back to thinking. He knew Dick wouldn't just tell him. After all, he must have been hiding it if he showed Bruce while he couldn't think straight.

Luckily for Bruce, he had ways of getting information.

…

Dick came home like he did everyday, but today, something felt different. The atmosphere in the house was slightly tensed, like something horrible was going to happen. He decided to just shake it off as he ran upstairs to his room. He opened his English binder and started studying his notes. He wasn't going to fail again. If he failed again, the only way to sneak it past the Batman again would be to shoot the Bat himself.

About an hour after he had gotten home, Alfred called him down for dinner. Bruce was already sitting at the table, and he had started eating. Dick sat in his normal seat and started eating as well. Once Bruce was done and Dick was nearing the end of his meal, he decided to make the first move in his plan.

"Dick, would you mind running to the store to buy some milk, apples, flour, and chips? Were out and Alfred can't go."

Dick said sure and headed out for the store. As soon as Bruce saw Dick ride out of the driveway, he went up to Dick's room. The boy was smart to keep his school ID number from Bruce, but he figured he wouldn't have taken his ID with him to the store. The online grades site needed the ID number of the student to get access to the actual grades. Bruce looked through Dick's backpack, desk, and dresser without any luck. He shuffled through the nightstand and the bookshelf. Then he saw Dick's small chest from his parents behind the nightstand. Bruce knew he would regret doing it, but he opened it, and sure enough, his ID was sitting in it. He took the ID and looked up the website online. He looked down the grades, and found what he was hoping was wrong.

…

Dick put his bike in the garage and carried the groceries into the kitchen, setting them on the counter.

"Bruce, I'm back!" Dick shouted. He made his way towards his room, when he saw Bruce standing by the stairs with an angered look.

_Oh no. _Dick thought. He acted casual as he asked what was wrong.

"I saw your grades."

Dick dropped his shoulders. It was game over. "I know, I'm so-. Wait, how did you get onto the site? You don't know my I. . ." Dick bolted up the stairs. His room was a mess. When he looked at his parents' chest, it was open. Dick whipped around furiously to see an equally furious Bruce standing in the doorway.

"How could you! How dare you! Not only did you invade my privacy, but you opened my personal family chest!"

"Don't try and turn the tables! If you hadn't been failing English, and if you hadn't_ tricked_ me into signing your test, this wouldn't have happened!"

Dick knew Bruce had a point, but he was not going to let Bruce slide on invading his privacy. "You have no _right_ to go snooping through all my stuff!"

"No _right?_" Bruce took in a deep breath to calm himself. His words came out of a slightly clenched jaw.

"I was going to suspend you from the team until you got your grade up, but I don't think that's going to be enough."

"What do you-"

"You will no longer be part of the young justice team, and Robin will be hanging up the cowl until I say so."

Dick was frozen and shaking in rage. He let out a small scream of anger before pushing Bruce out of the way and flipping over the railing and making it to the cave in record time. Bruce would have been able to catch him before he got to the cave, but Dick was a much better acrobat and was able to move quicker to the cave.

As Bruce got to the bottom of the cave, he heard the screeching tires of Robin's bike peeling out of the cave. Bruce looked over to the case where the Batman and Robin suits were hanging. But only the Bat's suit was there now. Bruce sighed as he grabbed it and got ready to find the bird.

…

Happy Free Comic Day! And Happy Birthday Chimmi!

I'm sorry to the people who story alerted this story! I would have posted a chapter last Friday, but my laptop's battery has to be plugged in all the time, and a week or two ago, it was sparking smoking and burning, so I had to wait and get a new one, and last night I was dead-dead tired.

So here is the next chapter, and I'll do my best to get the next one up by tomorrow for those of you who were nice and waited for this. It means a lot to me! Soooooo, ENJOY PLEASE! AND PLEASE REVIEW.


	4. Chapter 4

Now wearing the cape and cowl, Robin drove around, not knowing what he was going to do. If he went back, Bruce would kill him, but on the other hand, he had no idea what he was going to do out here.

He was driving at a more leisurely pace, until he heard the soft roar of the Batmobile coming through the city. He ducked into and alley too narrow for the mobile to get in and hid his bike and his body in the shadows, hoping the Bat would pass by. He felt the car coming closer, and he saw as the lights went past the alley. He waited a second before he silently drove out the other side of the alleyway. But, to his dismay, Batman had anticipated that, and the Batmobile was right in front of Robin.

"Crap." Robin muttered.

He revved out of the Bat's headlights and drove as fast as he could, swerving down narrow alleys, making sharp turns the were too fast for the car to follow, and once he was sure he had lost the Bat, he hid the bike and headed for the rooftops.

_The Bat can't just keep me down forever. _Dick had pushed all of his rational thinking away and was going on pure adrenaline and anger. He ran low and stuck to the shadows so the Bat would have more trouble finding him. Robin stopped on an apartment building and heard sirens heading north. Then he heard the crazy laughter of the Joker. Robin knew well enough not to attack the Joker. Batman would find him no doubt. Robin looked over towards the east. It looked like there was a small robbery in progress. All the cops were too occupied to handle a robbery at the moment.

"Perfect." Robin said to himself. He ran in the shadows until he reached the robbery.

The three robbers casually walked out of the jewelry store, whipping around the bags of jewels without a care.

Out of nowhere, the guy on the right had his leg pinned by a batarang. A flash of red and black, and the man was unconscious.

The middleman cracked his knuckles. "Well, well. If it isn't the little boy wonder."

Robin stood stoic in front of them. The men cackled as Robin stood. The man on the left ran at Robin with a crowbar. Robin easily dodged and kicked the robber with more force than needed. He hesitantly got back up and tried to punch Robin. Once again, the attack was easily dodged, and Robin released some of the anger he was holding in. The man was knocked out and thrown by his unconscious partner.

The last man standing was ready to fight. He ran in punching. None of his punches landed until the last one, which had collided with Robin's jaw. Robin unleashed all the rage he was fighting back. He started punching and kicking the robber. The man was knocked out after a few blows, but the boy wonder couldn't stop himself. He kept punching the man on the ground, until something caught his right arm before it hit the criminal's face again. When he looked up, the Bat was holding his arm, and by the glare on the Bat's face, Robin wasn't sure if he would ever dawn the cowl ever again.

…

Yay! Extra chapter this weekend since I couldn't do one last week! I know it's kinda short and stuff, annnnddd its not really that good, but it's kinda just to connect to the last chapter ending.

PLEASE HELP! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO END IT! I don't know if it should be a sweet ending or an angrier ending. I would very much appreciate people's help!

Thanks For Reading! Enjoy! Please Review!


	5. Chapter 5

The scowl on Batman's face should have been a warning to Robin, but he was oblivious to anything but the rage welling inside him. Robin took a swing at the Bat, but Batman grabbed Robin's wrist, pulled him in close, and released one of his knock-out gas pellets near Robin's head. He was growing an immunity to the drug, but he was still left dazed and disoriented.

Robin kept trying to fight, but he couldn't focus enough to land a hit on the Bat. He ran in for a hit, but it was easily dodged. Robin would have fallen, but Batman grabbed him by the waist and put him in the Batmobile. Robin fought him, but he wasn't as strong as Batman when he wasn't dazed, so he was no match now.

Once they were back in the cave, Batman locked the outer doors so Robin couldn't run away. He looked at the boy sitting by the Batmobile. He still had a scowl plastered on his face, but he didn't look like he wanted to run away. Batman lowered his cowl as he looked at the binder Alfred had brought down. It was Dick's English binder. The notes Dick had taken were good, but the tests and homework were filled with red marks and F's. Bruce sighed. He knew Dick wasn't the best at English, but he usually averaged a B or C in the class.

He took a closer look at what the assignments and tests were on. He saw the common link. He walked over to Dick, who was nowin his street apparal, leaning against the car.

"Dick, are you having trouble with grammar?"

Bruce didn't mean to sound disappointed or annoyed, but Dick could hear the slight disapointment in Bruce's voice.

"I can't be great at everything like you want me to be Bruce!" Dick yelled. He walked to side, away from Bruce.

"I'm not as smart as you want me to be! I'm not a blood Wayne like you! I can't be just like you were in high school! I can't get straight A's, be in twenty different clubs at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I can juggle school, my classes, and Robin, but you expect me to do everything perfect! I'm not YOU!"

Dick ran up the stairs to the mansion. Bruce sighed, knowing he couldn't go up in the mansion still dressed as the Dark Knight.

… 

Once he was changed, he walked up to Dick's room, hoping to find the boy there. To his dismay, the boy was nowhere in sight. He searched the house until he saw the black hair sticking out on the couch.

Bruce sat down quietly next to his son. Dick looked away as his guardian looked over to him.

Bruce did his best to talk in a soft, sympathetic voice.

"I don't expect you to be perfect."

Dick slowly looked over to Bruce, glowering at him.

"Of course you don't." He said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Bruce got off the couch, and knelt down at where Dick was sitting.

"I know school is difficult in high school. It's even harder when you have more than one life to handle. I don't expect you to get straight A's, be the team leader, play every instrument, join every team, and accomplished all your goals before you even turn eighteen. I just want you to try. If we need to get a tutor, or if you want me to help you, I'll be more than willing to come home early from work some days to help."

Dick finally smiled. " I think I'll just get a tutor from school."

Bruce chuckled as he got up to leave the room.

"Oh, and Dick, before I forget, you're still grounded until you do better in grammar. Bruce held in a laugh as he heard Dick groan.

…

Good? Stupid? You want to kill me its so bad? Tell me what ya think! There's gonna be one more chapter. I think I'll get it up tonight (Its gonna be short). Enjoy and please review!


	6. Chapter 6

"Great job Dick! You're doing really well!" The tutor told Dick. He smile looking down at his first homework that was 100% perfect in grammar.

"Thanks Owen. See you at Mathletes next week." Dick packed up his work and skated home. He was greeted at the door by Bruce.

"Hey Bruce. Everything okay."

Bruce kept a stoic look on his face as he handed Dick a folded paper.

"Did I do something wrong?" Dick was nervous as he unfolded the paper. GRAMMAR TEST. 84%. GREAT JOB DICK. Bruce's face was now smiling as his son started jumping and dancing in joy. He stopped for a moment.

"Wait does this mean. . ." Dick left the question unfinished, knowing that Bruce knew what he would ask.

Bruce nodded, and the boy broke out into dance.

"The Aster in life is back!"

…

I know, its short, stupid, and it's a sucky way to end the story, but if it really is completely terrible, I'll delete this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed the story! Please tell me what you thought of it! (I hate learning grammar so much.)


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